1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of photography. More specifically, it relates to photographic apparatus having a switching arrangement protecting against inadvertent switch actuation while permitting simultaneous actuation of a plurality of switches in a manner facilitating stability.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Increasingly, supplemental flash illumination is being used in daylight for softening shadow areas or improving image sharpness. This technique is generally referred to as fill-in flash and has been known in the photographic arts for many years. Heretofore, many kinds of photograhic apparatus having built-in flash have been proposed for achieving fill-in flash.
An example of a significantly improved camera having a built-in flash unit is described in copending application Ser. No. 54,598, filed July 3, 1979, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,146 and assigned in common herewith. As described therein, a camera is provided with a foldable flash unit movable between an operative, erect position and a folded, storage position. In the storage position, the camera housing and flash unit housing cooperate to form an enclosure for protectively covering the camera's objective lens and a flash window of the flash unit. For sequentially charging the flash and commencing exposure, a dual actuator switching arrangement arrangement is connected to one side of the camera body. Actuation of such dual switching arrangement is performed by a single hand of the operator. While the foregoing photographic apparatus possesses many advantages, there are potential disadvantages. For example, the flash will be fired each exposure cycle. Hence, taking photographs through a window is troublesome because of the reflection factor of the artificial light. Moreover, with the foregoing camera a sonic transducer is used for automatically focusing in accordance with subject range. Thus, when taking photographs through a window, which is a sonically reflective and light transmissive material, the focusing will be adversely affected. This is so since the reflected sonic waves cause the lens system to focus on the window instead of the desired object beyond the window which is intended to be photographed.
Another example of an improved camera having a built-in flash is described in copending application Ser. No. 54,652, filed July 3,1979, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,645 and is in common assignment herewith. With this camera the flash need not take place with each exposure. However, photographs taken through windows are adversely affected. This is because the sonic ranging system will cause the lens system to focus on the window instead of the desired object beyond the window. Thus, it is advantageous to selectively suppress flash illumination and avoid focusing errors with automatic focusing systems during the exposure cycle.
One approach for overcoming the foregoing problems is described in copending application Ser. No. 194,572, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,965, issued Sept. 29, 1981, entitled "Apparatus for Automatically Selecting a Preselected Focal Position for a Lens System", by Bruce K. Johnson et al., concurrently filed and commonly assigned herewith. A manually actuatable switch arrangement is broadly disclosed therein for simultaneously suppressing flash firing and disabling the rangefinder for enabling automatic setting of the lens assembly. With such a photographic apparatus the switch is actuated generally folowing commencement of the exposure cycle. It will be appreciated that such a switch should not be inadvertently actuated. Otherwise, both the flash fire system and ranging system will be disabled. Accordingly, it is important to prevent such inadvertent actuation. Moreover, the foregoing switching arrangement should be actuated generally contemporaneously with the initiation of the exposure cycle. Accordingly, positioning of a second manual switch actuator on the camera is important from the standpoint of not wanting to sacrifice stability or other photographic functions.